According to director David Cronenberg, there are three levels to A History of Violence: it refers to a suspect with a lengthy history of violent crimes; it alludes to the historical use of violence as a form of conflict resolution;
It refers to the inherent violence of Darwinian evolution, which is the survival of the fittest, which means that better-adopted beings will replace the lesser-able beings.
Tom Stall, played by Viggo Mortensen, owns a tiny, amiable café in a small Indiana town that serves as the hub of the community and a clearinghouse. He’s the sort of man who everyone wants to hang out with.
He’s married to Edie, played by Maria Bello, a lawyer, and the father to baby Sarah played by Heidi Hayes, and teenage Jack, played by Ashton Holmes.
What goes down
Although his family and the little Indiana town where he lives are unaware of this at the start of the story, Tom Stall has a history of violence.
Threatening to murder the customers at his modest café, two serial killers break in. Tom kills both guys by throwing hot coffee on one of the killers and grabbing one of the firearms, and the patrons and staff stand still in terror. He becomes a national celebrity and a town hero against his wishes.
Tom wants everything to return to normal since he views all the excitement as a major issue. Unfortunately, Carl Fogarty, a man from a Philadelphia crime family, recognizes him because of his sudden stardom.
With the help of goons, Fogarty arrives in the city and confronts Tom, claiming that Tom is Joey Cusack from Philly. Tom claims that there must be a misunderstanding, but Fogarty finds this objectionable.
This sparks a lot of rumors about Tom’s actual identity and actions, which get in his way in the community, his kid at school, and even inside the family. Although Edie, Tom’s wife, fervently supports her husband, she is a little uneasy about some of the things Fogarty says.
Tom and Edie’s marriage was severely strained by the inquiries over his identity. Although he tries to downplay Edie’s worries, their relationship is becoming more and more tricky.
Everything goes wrong when Fogarty seizes Tom’s kid Jack and promises to release him if Tom goes back to Phillie with Fogarty. Except for Fogarty, who is wounded in the shoulder, Tom kills them all. Before Fogarty can assassinate his father, Jack murders him.
After witnessing the carnage on her front lawn, Edie is tormented. There is mounting evidence against her husband. When everything collapses, she argues with Tom. For whom is this intended? Edie Cusack or Edie Stall? And their kids too?
What happens at the end of the movie
In the end, Tom is taken hostage and sent to Philadelphia, where it is discovered that he is Joey Cusack, the brother of notorious gangster Richie Cusack.
We learn there that Richie is the one who has Tom/Joey under contract and has wanted Tom/Joey’s younger brother killed ever since Tom/Joey was a baby.
Tom/Joey uses his killer instincts to take out his brother and the other thugs, while a thug tries to wipe him. After bathing in his brother’s lake, Tom/Joey gets rid of “Joey” for good.
Uncertain about his welcome, Tom returns home. Seated at the dining table is his family. When his children see him, they set his seat and bring him food when he sits down, even though his wife does not welcome him to the table. Tom is back home, but his perfect life isn’t the same.
It is not clear, but it looks like the family has accepted him by welcoming him. Sarah still does not understand the whole situation well but gives Tom a place to sit. Jack passes him the food; he is angry with him but accepts his father at the table. And Tom’s life is not the same as it was.
